Pediatric Pain Medicine

The Children's National Pediatric Pain Medicine Program is an interdisciplinary, research-based pain program for children's acute and long-term pain — one of only a few such programs in the United States and around the world. The Pain Medicine Program uses tried and true methods that are safe, but also works toward collecting data that will uncover better treatments that are safe and effective. 

Our experts work with the commitment and partnership of your child's family and your primary care doctor to successfully manage your child's pain long term, so it doesn't control your child or family.

Our Services

We treat the whole child, paying special attention to both their physical and emotional needs. Here are some of the additional services we provide for our patients:

• Acute pain service
• Chronic pain service
• Medical acupuncture
• Headache care
• Behavioral medicine, including cognitive behavioral therapy, biofeedback and relaxation therapy
• Physical therapy
• Psychiatry
• Healing touch
• Aromatherapy

Pain Medicine Care Complex

Our Pain Medicine Program is located in the Pain Medicine Care Complex, which improves and expands outpatient care for children who experience long-term pain. 

Most children referred to the Pediatric Pain Medicine Clinic within the Complex have:

• Had pain that has lasted longer than four to six weeks
• Failed standard treatment modalities
• Significantly impaired quality of life

Pain is more than a physical injury. It has social, emotional and psychological implications that affect your child, your family and friends. 

Our personalized approach is tailored to each child's unique needs and is based on the latest, research-proven approaches to pain medicine. This includes standard therapies and some research-proven alternatives, including multi-sensory techniques that maximize the power of all five senses, focusing a child's attention on the senses less impacted by that pain (sight, sound, taste, smell) to distract and deflect. 

Our Pain Medicine Care Complex features: 

• 6,675 sq. ft. of treatment space
• State-of-the-art teleconference and telehealth technology that allows the Children's National pain medicine experts to help diagnose and treat families around the world
• Semi-private infusion rooms designed to reduce stress on patients requiring infusions
• Comfortable, non-threatening medical and psychological assessment rooms that help children feel more at ease during assessment and treatment